Lecture 27 · 1 Thessalonians 5:24–28

THE XXVII. LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

WE haue in hand presently (welbeloued in Iesus) the conclusion vvhich is the last parte of this Epistle. He begins it with a prayer, crauing in his prayer euen that same thing hee had exhorted them to, to vvitte, holinesse, sanctification, continuance, and perseuerance in holinesse and sanctification to the end, and so acknowledging God to bee the giuer of that same very thing which he exhorted them to, and that it lay not in their hands nor free will to will or doe any good, but all stands in the hands of God, who is the giuer of all grace. He prayes, that, it would please God to giue them that grace he exhorted them to, and he would stir them vp to seek that same grace at the hands of God; for it is vanity to stryue to any grace without God. And therefore as thou would do any thing, pray to God to giue thee grace to doe it. Let thy eye be euer on God, and in the midst of the action when thou thinkst thou art best exercised, craue grace of perseuerance: for, I assure thee, he leaue thee in the best of thy action, thou wilt fall backward. Therefore there is such necessitie that the eye be euer on God, that it is impossible to a man to do any thing that is good, except his eye be euer on him, begging grace and perseuerance in grace at his hands.

Now he goes forward: and in the thinges that followes to the end of the chapter and Epistle, there is such a varietie that euery thing here set downe is a seuerall heed of doctrine. First, he promises to them that same thing he had prayed for at God. Then he maks a petition to them, desiring them to pray for him. Then to commend him to the brethren. Then he adjures them that they read this Epistle to all the people. And last he bids them fairewell, recommending them to the grace of Christ. Ye see what varitie of thing she hes. I minde to be short in them, seeing they are almost things common in euery Epistle, making a choise of that I thinke best for our comfort and necessity. Now he begins at the promise, Faithfull is he vvhich calleth you, vvhich also vvill doe it. There is the promise. The Apostle would say, that that I pray God, that he will grant you; to wit; he will preserue you in the end in faith, that I am assured he will doe; He will not leaue you, vnto the tyme he perfite his worke begunne in you. There is the promise. Ye see first in this promise, the prayes that he made immediatly before for them, praying to God, that he would preserue them in holinesse to the end, is grounded vpon an assurance in the hart, that God would grant that same thing which he prayed for to the Thessalonians. Marke it. And first, learne, concerning prayer: All prayer for thinges heauenly and spirituall concerning the life to come (I speak not of the worldly thinges, Confidēce in prayer. but thinges heauenly and spirituall) should arise on some certainty and assurance of the hart, that God will grant to vs the things we aske. Therefore Iames in his Epistle last chap. 15. verse. he calles prayer, the prayer of faith, that is, that ryses of faith and assurance in the hart, that God will grant vs the thing we aske. Iohn in his first Epistle, last chap. 14. verse, he joynes these two together, confidence or assurance, and prayer, and he sayes. This is that confidence vve haue in the Lord, that, if vve aske any thing according to his vvill, he vvill heare vs: There is confidence in prayer, that, when we pray, we should haue that assurance that God will giue vs these things we seeke, not according to our will, but according to his owne will. It is his will that we should haue these heauenly things, through the bloud of Christ. And therefore our prayer for them should rise on confidence, that God will grant them for Christs sake.

Yet farther, I see in this place three thinges joyned together. First, he exhorts them to a continuance in an holy lyfe to the end. Secondly, he prayes for the same continuance in holinesse, that God would preserue them to the comming of the Lord Iesus. Exhortatiō, praier and promise conioyned. Thirdly, there is a sure promise made to them of that same thing he prayed for, that God would perfite his worke in them, and neuer leaue his worke, vntill he crowne it, and these three, continuance in holinesse, prayer for it, and promise thereof, cannot be well seuered. It auailes not to stand vp and exhort to any good thing, except the exhorter pray to God, that it would please him to grant them that grace he hes exhorted them to: the man that cannot pray for that grace he hes exhorted them to, he is not meete to exhort. Then againe, prayer without promise auailes little. A man who hes not assurance in his hart, to promise grace from the hands of God vnto any people or person. is not meete to pray for any people or person. He to whom the Lord hes not giuen that grace in hart to promise with assurance, he is not meete to pray, for pithie prayer must ryse on some confidence in the hart. To be short. In a Pastor these three must goe together. He must be a man that is meete to exhort, that hes a grace to pray, and an accesse to God; and last he must haue an assurance in his hart of that grace of God, so, that he dar be bold to promise to them that grace he exhortes them to, and craues at God. And that which I speake of a Pastor, I speake of all men. For all should be exhorters, and euery one teachers of their brethren, and so euery one should see if they haue these graces to exhort, to stir them vp to godlinesse, to pray for them, and to promise to them grace with assurance.

Now to goe forward. He sets not downe his promise simply, and barely, the Lord will doe it, but he layes downe the ground and foundation where-vpon he builds his promise, vvhich is their effectuall and inward calling. He is faithfull that hes called you. So, the ground of this promise is their inward and effectuall calling. By this calling, I vnderstand no other thing, but an inward declaration of the eternall will of God in the hart of any man concerning his saluation; 2. sorts of calling. To speake the trueth, this calling of a man by the word, is nothing but a reuealing inwardly in his hart, that election and choising of God that was from all eternitie. He calles him when he reueales that eternall election to him, and assures him that he hes chosen him before al eternity. There is another calling when the word soundes in the care, without perswasion of the calling in the hart. This is an outward calling. Many are called this way, but few gets this inward calling in their hart to saluation. Then this is the meaning of the Apostle, as if he had said to them, if ye be called (Thessalonians) if ye find the Lord to declare inwardly to your hart his eternall will in your election, I dare be bolde to promise, that, that God who hes made that declaration in your hart, shall neuer leaue you, vntill he persite his worke, and put you in Heauen. This ground standes sure, that God shall neuer leaue you who hes gotten the assurance of election, vntill he crowne his worke in you. There are the wordes shortly. Then, marke, brethren; The promise that one can make to another, that, God will not leaue them to the end, it must not be spoken absolutely, but it must be conditionall. The condition is, of thy effectuall calling. This condition holding sure, that thou art effectually and inwardly called to life, surely the promise may be made to thee, with assurance, God wil neuer leaue thee to the end: And I or any man vpon this condition may boldly make you this same promise, that Paul made to the Thessalonians, and I may say to you (this ground holding that ye are called inwardly, and that ye haue receiued an inward declaration, as it were, out of the mouth of God of your election in Christ) I may promise you, that, God shall neuer leaue you vntill he crown his worke. Then, if it be so, who euer would haue comfort of the promise of God made in Christ, when lyfe is promised, perseuerance is promised, the crowne of glorie is promised, who wold haue comfort in these promises, let him go to the ground, looke if thou findst in thy hart thy inward calling, looke, if God by his Spirit inwardly assures thee that thou shalt haue lyfes, if thou findst it, assure thee the promise perteines to thee; but if thou finde it not spoken inwardly by God to thee, thou hast no warrand, that the promise of grace perteins to thee, thinke neuer thou wilt be crowned, and that he shall perfite his worke in thee, seeing he neuer began to worke in thee. God will neuer perfite the worke he neuer began. Therefore euerie one of vs should take heed when we read or heare the promises of God in the Scripture, if we haue this ground or not; if I finde I haue the ground, I may fullie assure me, there is no promise but it is made to me; but if I see not the ground, no promise perteines to me. Then, on this, marke further Gods fashion of doing. This is his maner of doing: Gods calling vnchāgable. First, he calles, that is to say, he lettes men and women vnderstand by faith inwardly, that he and she is one whom he hes taine purpose from all eternitie to saue. There is the beginning. Then he goes forward and neuer leaues them vntill he persite his worke in them. No, if he beginne once with them, and giue them assurance that they are inwardly called, the gates of Hel will neuer preuaile against them, albeit they be in Hell at that same tyme of their calling they shall end in Heauen; he will draw them through Hell to Heauen, through death to lyfe, all the world shall not alter his purpose. If he begin once he will end. Therefore, to the Philipp. 1. chap. 6. verse, he sayes, I am persvvaded, that, he that hes begunne the good vvorke in you, he vvill perfite it to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ: I am perswaded, there is neuer one, with whom he beginnes the worke of their effectuall calling, but, of necessity he must perfite it. A man will beginne a worke and draw his hand from it againe, and let it stand; but, God is not lyke man, he neuer beganne the worke, but he will perfite it. And therefore, I say, who euer they be that would end with him, and haue an assurance that God shall be with them in their end, and shall crowne them with a crowne of glorie, they should take heed vvhether God hes begun with them or not. If I finde his hand begin to worke with me, I will perswade my selfe in spite of al the world he shal perfite it; but if we find not God begin with vs, he shal neuer crown the work: Al stands in the beginning, al the grace we get in this lyfe, such as holinesse, sanctification, is nothing in effect, but the beginning of grace. So that the thing we haue to do in this life, if we should liue a thousand yeeres, is to enter in count whether the Lord hes begun this worke or not. If I finde he hes begun this worke in me, then in my death and letter houre I will assure my selfe, the Lord wil end his worke with me, I will make a sweete end, and he will crowne me with glory.

Yet, farther, he sayes, Faithfull is he, vvhich calleth you, vvhich also vvill doe it. He grounds againe this promise of the continuance of Gods grace, Heighest ground of faith, the constant nature of God. which is vnder this condition of effectuall calling on an higher ground. If thou wold haue a sute faith, thou must haue many grounds, faith is not builded on the sand, it must haue sure groundes: He grounds this ground of their effectuall calling on an higher and surer ground, that all the world wil not be able to shake, it is vpon the vnchangeable and vnalterable nature of God, the constant nature of God, not fleeting and flowing, as mans nature is. God is not like man. The word he speakes, it standes, it neuer alters. The purpose he takes is vnalterable. To the Heb 6. chap. 18 vers. It is impossible, that, God should lye. 2. Tim. 2. chap. 13. vers. He cannot deny himselfe, he abydes faithfull and sure. Then, brethren, if he hes said to the hart inwardly, It is my will from all eternity, that thou be one of these that shall be safe. Hes he spoken it? that word shall neuer be altered, Heauen and earth shall all go to, ere there be one word of that altered, God is faithfull, the word he hes spoken cannot be altered: Therefore if he hes called thee, giuen thee a sight of thy election, it will neuer alter. Paul knew this well, and therefore he assures them, that he would perfite the worke begunne in them: on this condition, that he hes called them inwardlie; this assurance should be in the hart of the Preacher, thou should haue thy hart established on these same groundes, thou should knowe the vnchangeable nature of God, that he cannot alter: for, if thou knowest not, that he cannot alter, thou hast no certainty of faith. So, the ground of faith is, the vnchangeablenesse of God. it neuer restes vntill it pearce into that infinite deepnesse in God. To speake it so, It is not the word of God that is spoken that is the cheefe ground of faith: for faith goes in through the word, and grippes in to that vnchangeable Majestie. Then the cheefe ground of faith, is the vnchangeable nature of God, and it neuer gets rest, vntill it get that vnchangeable God. And then when it hes gotten him, it restes on him; it restes then on his word, and obeyes his word; if he then speake to me, I will heare him and obey him. Then God should be painted out in his nature, so far as man can: But who can doe it? He should be knowne to be a mercifull, true and just God, and none can haue faith but he must knowe these. Alas, thou that wilt be content with the scrufe of the properties of God, and will not seeke in to the deepnesse of God, and take him vp in his properties, and pearee in to his nature and rest on him, thou shalt neuer get a setled faith. Therefore seeke ay knowledge, and prease in to him, that thou may stand in some setlednesse.

Now to come to the rest of the text. When he hes exhorted them, prayed for them, made promise to them: What then does he? He commes downe and sayes, Brethren pray for me. He he beene as it were, sitting aboue them, exhorting them, praying for them, promising to them as a superiour far aboue them, and ere ye looke about you he commes downe, and sits downe on the earth and his course about lookes vp to them and biddes them pray for him: What learne we of this? There is none so high mounted that hes so excellent graces in the Church of God, if it were the Apostle Paul himselfe, but he should humble himselfe, as it vvere, vnder the most humble and lovvlie in the Church, and as hee hes prayed for them, so hee should pray them to pray for him againe. Pray for me as I haue prayed for you; as I haue exhorted you, exhort ye me; as ye haue neede to be prayed for by me, so haue I need to be prayed for by you. So, nothing I can doe to you, but I haue neede of it my selfe. Ye see the eie of the head far aboue the foote, the one is lowe on the earth, the other high in the head; it is the light of the body and guides the foote, bids it goe on this way, goe on that way, it hes graces far aboue the foote; yet for all this preheminence and giftes it hes gotten, it must looke downe againe to the foote, and say, foote cary me, and beare me; for if thou cary not me to this place, and that place where I would be, I cannot come there. It is so with the members of the body of Christ: The eye of them, that is, the man that hes gotten greatest preheminence, he must sloup downe and humble himselfe to the poorest bodie in the Church of God and seeke helpe mutuall in the Church: the silliest bodie in the Church hes gotten a grace which he hes not gotten, without the which grace he is not able to stand. The foote can carie the eye, but the eye cannot cary the foote: So the poorest and vylest body in the Church hes gotten some grace that the greatest in the Church must stoup downe and seeke a grace at the silliest bodie. Therfore let none be proud. Thou that wilt contemne the soberest grace that the filliest bodie in the Church of God hes gotten, thou shalt lose all grace. Then I see againe (brethren) the necessity of prayer. Necessity of prayer. The Lord grant this that we could once knowe it well. There is no grace nor perseuerance in grace without prayer: Without prayer to God let none seeke to stand to the end, thou that cannot open thy mouth to pray to God neither morning euening nor midday, &c. thou shalt neuer get grace; looke neuer for this perfection. Thou cannot go forward in the rinke without prayer, and so thou shalt neuer come to the butt. And as ye see heere, it is not onely mans owne prayer that is requisit, to bring them to the rinks end but it must be mutuall prayer; I must pray for thee to helpe thee forward thou must pray for me to help me forward. So prayer must be mutuall, and as it were, euery one must be taking others by the hand, and lifting them vp from the filth of the earth to heavenly things. So he that will contemne mutuall prayer and say, I will pray for my selfe, I am familiar with God, I haue a broad back to beare all their curlings if they were neuer so many. Alas the curslinges will thrust him downe to Hell, and his prayer shall not auaile: And thou who contemnest the pray or of the silliest bodie in the Church for thee. if thou shouldst [lie] all day on thy knee thou shalt get small furtherance. The prayer of the Church is a necessar meane to bring thee to Heauen; For as he appoynted thee to Heauen, so hes he appoynted prayer of the Church to bring thee to it.

Now he commes to the salutation. Salute sayes he, one another vvith an holy kisse. As he would say, I cannot be present with them, I cannot speake to them face to face, but [I desire] you to whom I direct this Epistle, conuoy my salutation to them, and in my name salute them as it were with my mouth. Brethren, what is a salutation? A testification of our loue that we beare so them we salute. Now there are sundrie fortes of salutations, a man will salute one with his owne mouth, then when he cannot get him saluted with his owne mouth, he will send his commendations with another man. There are two fortes, I will testifie my good will by my owne mouth in his presence, and againe I will testifie it by another, and will send my [salutation and] good will by his hand: And truely looke how sure euer thing in this earth was caryed by a mediat person, as sure this loue will be caryed by one to another; he will take my loue on his back and cary it to another; and as sure as any gift is presented to any person as sure will my loue be presented to him to whom I send it. And what good will it doe? The chiefe thing we haue is the conjunction of the members one with another. Now the band that conjoynes the members, is loue; and I may send this same band by an other. He may tak my band that commes from my hart, and eary to any man: Then the band that commes to him it kindles vp his hart, and he loues me againe, and so his hart is giuen to me againe. So, seeing this happinesse in this lyfe standes in this conjunction, euery thing should be vsed that may enterteine this conjunction, if it were but a good morrow or a good night, euery thing holds this conjunction together, vntill we be fully joyned to Christ, in the which conjunction standes our ful happinesse.

Yet to insist. This salutation is to all the brethren, none excepted. To speake it in one word: Such familiar salutations as these, salute them with a kisse and an holy kisse, they are not competent betweene all sorts of men; I perceyue not that the Apostle salutes this way any of the Gentiles and Heathen; it is true we are bound to wish well to all, to the prophainest in the world, yea to the enemies of Christ, and I will say, the Lord turne euery enemy of Christ to him: but certainely, when it commes to such salutations as these that Paul vses, as to say, salute with an holy kisse, they are proper onely to the domesticks of faith, and therefore he sayes, salute all the brethren, not all that ye meete with, but all the brethren. Loue pertaines to all, but there as a speciall loue that pertaines to the members of the bodie, as to brethren and sisters, there are special salutations that specially pertaines to the members in the bodie, and therefore discretion must be had; all salutations must not be had to al alike we should haue a regarde of the condition of the person whom we salute. There may be a fault aswell in this vndiscreete doing, as when we leaue it vndone; giue euery one their owne duety. Thou art addebted to a brother in a speciall kindnesse and salutation, and is not addebted so to a Turke, and to one that is not in Christ.

In the end held esires that they salute all the brethren, vvith an holy kisse. We know it was a fashion of olde ere Christ came; thē Iewes at meeting they wold kisse other euen men wold kisse men, the same fashion continued in Christes dayes, and after Christ it was vsed also, as ye may see in the Epistles of Paul, and in the primitiue Church at their meeting together, at the Supper of the Lord they would kisse in token of their vnitie. Now this holy kisse is called by Peter, the kisse of charme, 1. Epistle 5. chapter. 14. verse. Ioyne 〈…〉 an holie kisse is nothing but a [kisse] that [ryses] of an [vnfeined loue], when loue is in the hart it is sinceere without by hypocrisie other wise it is not sinceere: Iudas is kisse was not holy because loue was not in his hart vvhen he kissed his Master, Sinceritie to be vsed in salutation. so this kisse vvas in hypocrisie. So in our fashion that is novv vsed, albeit vve, kisse not one another vvhen vve bid good-marrow, or good-night, vve make an outvvard testification of the loue, of the hate invvardly; if there be not loue in the hart, all is but hypocrisie. And except helsing ryse of loue in the hart, it were better to thee to hold thy tongue, thou art but an hypocrite; when thou salutest vvith thy mouth, if thy hart would eate him vp, thou wilt appeare to haue hony in thy mouth and the gall of bitternesse is in thy hart. Alas many Iudasses now. Sweete sleeked lippes, false malitious inuyfull harts. Alwayes the lesson is, in all these outward testifications of loue, looke euer that there be [a] loue in the hart, that the testification may be sinceere, and thou may get good of them; For I assure thee, this loue to thy neighbor does good to thee: ô Lord if sincerity be not good in the members of Christ! Alas this decreeped age is turned to a plane hypocrisie, and al are but words of office; thy vylde salutation returnes to thy owne hurt. As it does him no good nor euil whom thou salutest, so it does thee euill and returnes to thy own hurt. Hypocrisy euer hurts the hart it came from.

Now to the next words I charge you in the Lord, that this Epistle be read to all the brethren, the Saints. This is another purpose: For in the end as I tolde you there is varietie of things casten together: Appearandly, by the wordes it would seeme, that this Epistle was directed cheefly to the Pastor, Elders, &c. and in one word, to the Presbyterie, that vvas there. Therefore, lest the inferior and common sort of Christians should be defrauded of this benefite, the Apostle showes, that, it is his vvil, that this Epistle be communicate to the vvhole vulgar sort of christians, that vver in Thessalonica, neuer one should be defrauded of the benefite of it. He sayes not simply, I vvill you to do this, but, he vses another vvord, I charge you in the Lord; I binde and oblishe you, vnder a paine, the paine is the vvraith of the Lord, Marke it. There must be great grounds and causes of this straite charge, vnder al highest paine. First, this straite charging lettes vs see the great necessitie, that vvas, that the common people at Thessalonica should heare of this Epistle, asvvell as the rulers of the Church. Secondly, it lettes vs see, that, the Apostle perceyued, there should be impedimentes casten in, that should hold aback this vvryting of his, from the people, he knew the deceite of the deuil, that he would be busie, to haue this letter closed vp and neuer to be communicate to the common people: and therefore, he charges thē, that it shold be read to the people. Now, I obserue. This, that he speakes of this Epistle, which is but a part of the Scripture, I draw it to the whole Scripture canonicall of the olde and new Testament; Necessity of reading and bearing the Scripturs. and I obserue the need that all sort of men and wemen so long as they liue in this lyfe hes to vnderstand the scripture, to read it, or if they cannot read it, to heare it red: there is a plaine necessity laid on euery one of you men and wemen in all rankes to read the scripture, and if ye cannot read them, to heare them red, Searche the Scriptures, sayes the Lord, in Iohn 5. chap. 39. verse, for by them ye shall obtaine saluation; it stands men on their saluation and damnation to know the Scriptures. Then secondly learne. The deuil, the enemie of mans saluation, knowing how necessar• the Scripture is to the saluation of men, hes euer striuen to holde the Scripture hid as a closse booke from the common people. What cares he of the chiefe of the Clergie to let them knowe the Scriptures, he will let them passe if he can get the multitude of people to carie to Hell with him? This wicked doing of his continues still in the world, and the word is closed vp among the Papists, and it is forbidden to be red by laikes, that is, by simple men and wemen, and it is forbidden to be translated in their owne language. Marke yet further. They who are rulers in the Church, teachers of the common sort, are bound vnder the paine of the wraith of the Lord Iesus to light on them, that they communicate these Scriptures to the common people, and put the booke in the hand of them that can read, and if they cannot read themselues, to read to them. The rulers of the Thessalonians are charged to read this Epistle to all the common sort. So all the rulers in the Church to the end of the world shall be oblished to instruct the common people; and therefore the translating of the Bible in euery common language is ordained, that the idiots who hes the mother tonge only, may vnderstand what is the will of the Lord in the Scripture. Then if it be so, the Doctors in that harl or Church in Papistrie that hes closed the booke of God to the people, and clasped it with double claspes, O what damnation abydes them? (if ye haue an English new Testament to the fire with you) dare thou be bould to read the Scripture thy selfe in thy owne language? thou shalt die for it. Alas the wraith of Christ bindes them and holdes them strait to their vtter destructions. If it were but for letting the people of God remaine in ignorance without knowledge.

Now to the last wordes. The grace of our Lord Iesus be vvith you, and he seales it vp with this word Amen. When he entered in with them in the beginning of the Epistle, what was his salutation? Nothing but a recommendation of them to the grace of Christ: at his first meeting with them he prayes that they should receiue the grace of Christ. Grace vvithout merite vvishes both in the beginning, and ending. When he bids them fare-well he bids the same grace of God be with them; he wishes grace in the beginning and grace in the end. Learne this, If the Apostle had thoght that there had bene a greater thing in the world nor the grace of Christ, he had wished it either at the beginning or at the ending; but knowing well the best thing he could wishe to the people is Christs grace, as he began with it, so he ends with it. And alas, what can we wishe more, for vnder the grace of Christ all the graces and blessinges we can haue heere, and in the life to come are comprehended: If one would set himselfe to wish the best thing in the world to another, what can he wish better nor the grace of Christ? for all is in it. Now it is to be vnderstood what is the grace of Christ. No other thing but the free fauour of God in Iesus Christ; I call it free, because it is without desert or merite on our part, a fauour that commes not on our deseruing; for we merite nothing but Hell. Then, brethren, what is this he hes bene speaking to these Thessalonians? Certainly, I read not in all Pauls Epistles of so high a praise of Faith, Loue and Charitie of any Church, as he hes of this Church of Thessalonica; and yet for all this in the end he sayes not, I beseech God that he consider your merite, for ye haue deserued well, and he is much oblist to your deseruing (as that presumptuous villaine the Pope will say) Lord reward you according to your deseruing. No, he ends not so, but he sayes, Indeede Thessalonians ye haue done well, but yet I commit you to the free mercy of God. The thing I wish to you is not for your deseruing, but against your deseruing. I wish to you the free grace of Christ, according to Christs saying in Luke 17. chap. 10. vers. When thou hast done all that thou can doe, say, I am but an vnprofitable servant, I deserue not so much as a faire looke of Christ. Hell shall ouertake thee for all thy doing, except mercy come betweene thee and thy God. Then onely mercie without deseruing is our saluation. In the 2. Tim chap. 1. verse 16. he names one Onesiphorus, and he reckons out great kindnesse that he had done to him (and that which was done to Paul was done to his Master) he saies, he hes refreshed me, when I haue beene exceeding wearie, be thought no shame of my fetters and bonds, and hearing tell I vvas at Rome he sought me out very diligently. Yet for all this, he sayes not, Onesiphorus deserues well at Gods hand, and I pray that the Lord would rewarde him according to his demerites. No, but he sayes, The Lord shovv mercy on Onesiphorus. And he doubles it ouer againe, and he saies, God grant as I haue found mercy at Onesiphorus, so he may finde mercy at the Lords hands in that day. He sayes mercie, not reward but free mercie: and so I end. Nothing but mercy and free grace; when we haue done all we can, nothing but mercy, mercy in earth, mercy in heauen. On paine of lyfe when thou hast done all the good thou may doe, beware thou think of any deseruing at the hands of God But cast thy selfe on thy knees, and hold vp thy hands, and cry for fre mercy and pardon of thy sinnes, and say, away with all my workes, they are but dung and filth; I craue pardon for my sinnes of thy free mercy in that bloude of Iesus Christ: Except thou craue this, thou shalt neuer haue solide joy in thy hart. And shall I say that one of these false quenchers of the Spirit felt euer this sweetnes in Christ, which onely ryses of the assurance of the free mercy of God. Therefore let our onely reposing be vpon this free fauour in Christ. To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise for euer.

AMEN.

FINIS.